Checklist

The International Office makes the decision of the reimbursement for travel expenses for the academic year 2014 - 2015 by the end of October and informs the applicants of the decision. When the decision about the reimbursement for travel expenses has been made, the preparations for the trip can be started.

Funding

The reimbursement for travel expenses is granted for the travel and accommodation expenses of a staff member’s stay. In other words, it is not a personal grant that should be reported for taxation. The staff member's faculty or unit can pay the daily allowance and other possible costs. The reimbursements are paid with a travel bill made with the Travel programme, so that the same travel bill is used to pay the costs paid by both the International Office and the faculty. In the Travel program, the type of travel should be chosen as Basic operation, travel to abroad. If the costs exceeding the International Relation's reimbursement will be funded from a project funding, please choose the Project funding, travel to abroad.

The reimbursement decision is conditional. It requires returning the Reimbursement Form as well as returning Academic Plan for Mobility Period. Receiving the grant requires uploading the Letter of Confirmation (only for not Erasmus+ exchanges) or Erasmus+ Agreement and giving feedback in the SoleMOVE system after exchange.

A travel advance can be applied through the Travel Administration Department, which makes the decision about paying an advance. At most, the paid travel advance can be 80 per cent of the estimated expenses and will be paid to the same bank account where the salary is paid. If the length of your exchange is long (eg. research exchange lasting a month or more) you may invoice the amount of the reimbursement in M2 system using the cost claim: Basic operation, travel to abroad. Don't forget to fill in the SoleMOVE feedback at the same time.

The travel insurance of the University of Lapland covers the work trips of the staff. The insurance card and the insurance policy can be requested from Travel Administration Department (travel(at)ulapland.fi). Inquiries can be made from Johanna Peltoperä tel. 2299. The International Relations Office reports the Erasmus mobility programmes to CIMO, so the original receipts, travel tickets and/or hotel bills indicating the arrival and departure day of the host country should be returned together with the travel bill to the Travel Administration Department.

Return the duly filled in forms (Application and Decision Form for Reimbursement of Travel Costs for Staff and Academic Plan for Mobility Period).

Make a travel plan online with the M2 travel programme. The travel type should be "Basic operation, travel to abroad". Please also mention the granted reimbursement from International Relations in the travel plan. With the travel plan, the faculty or the unit will comment and accept the daily allowances and other possible expenses.

Make travel and accommodation arrangements and report them to the host university. (The preliminary date and the teaching / staff arrangements should already be agreed on before this.)

Make the arrangements about your teaching with the representative of the host university.

During your exchange you are a representative of the University of Lapland. Therefore, it is desirable that you use only the official University of Lapland PowerPoint slide design. In this way the image of the University of Lapland is reinforced.

When necessary, you can ask what University of Lapland brochures and gifts could be brought along from the International Coordinator of your faculty or from the Director of International Relations, Outi Snellman.

Find out beforehand from SoleMOVE mobility systemor Outi Snellman if other units of the University of Lapland have cooperation with the university.

In addition, ask whether any of the students of the University of Lapland are doing their exchange studies at the host university from the Head of the International Student Services, Jaana Severidt, from the faculty’s International Coordinator or possibly from the host university. Find out also if any students from the host university have already studied or have been selected to study at the University of Lapland and try to meet them if possible.

It is a good idea to meet

* The Director of International Relations and the person in charge of the teacher mobility and student mobility
* The Director of the field of the study

Remember: When in Rome, do as the Romans do – you are also on a study trip and getting to know the language and culture.

Stick to the schedule and agreed meetings. Write down all the persons you have met and do not forget to mention them also in your travel report e.g. by attaching their business cards.

Visit the International Office of the host university if possible and give them the newest brochures of the University of Lapland. Furthermore, ask for the newest brochures from the host university or ask them to mail it to the International Relations Office of the University of Lapland.

During a teaching visit it is also possible to evaluate existing cooperation and aim to broadening the possible cooperation in teaching and research, as well as in teacher and student mobility. It is also a good idea to check for new cooperation projects that have funding possibilities in the European Union, Ministry of Culture and Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for example.

The reimbursements of the trip will be expressed to be paid on online travel bill in the M2 programme within 2 months of the end of the trip. The travel bill expresses the expenses to be covered by International Relations and by the faculty. It is required that the original receipts are attached to the travel claim.

The Letter of Confirmationwill be attached to the SoleMOVE system by the traveller. The feedbackneeds to be given in the SoleMOVE system as well. The travel secretary confirms the International Relations Office's share of the expenses from the International Relations Secretary, who in turn checks that the requirements for the reimbursement have been met from the appendices in the SoleMOVE. The travel bill is approved by the superior of the traveller. The travel bills are checked and paid at the Financial Services of the University of Lapland on the 15th and 30th day of each month.